Firearm



Match 6, 192s.

J. E. BRENNAN ET AL FIREARM Patented Mar. 6, 1928.

UNITED sa'rss waas JOHN E. BRENNAN AND CBAXVFORD C. LOOMIS, OF ILION, NEW YORK, ASSIGNORS T0 REMINGTON ARMS COMPANY, INC., A CORPORATION OF DELAWARE.

FIREARM.

Application led. April 23,*1924, Serial No. 708,414. Renewed August 3, 1927.

The usual double gun barrel assembly comprises a pair ol barrels, means ior securing said barrels together and a hinge and locking lug by which the barrel structure is attached to the trame.

In double guns as now manufactured for the market the hinge and locking lug may be formed as a separate piece and brazed to the two barrels, or half ot the lug may be torged integral with each barrel and the two halves subsequently brazed together. The barrels, temporarily held in proper spaced relation by packing blocks, are rigidly secured together by brazing thereto a top or sighting rib. The lower part of the space between the barrels may be closed by a brazed lower rib which, with the top rib forms a closed chamber between the barrels. The barrels are subsequently straightened, both inside and out, by boring out the inside and by striking down the outside by grinding and .tiling A barrel assembly so fabricated is sub] ect to many detects and disadvantages. One such defect is that the heat necessary to melt the brazing metal is injurious to the barrel metal, greatly reducing its tensile strength. On account of the enormous internal pressures to which barrels are subjected whenever a shell or cartridge is fired it is important that the full tensile strength of the metal be preserved.

Another detect arises from the diiiiculty ot` holding the barrels in correct alignment during brazing, and their distortion due to the brazing heat and subsequent cooling. Subsequent to the brazing operation the barrels are straightened, inside'and out, by removing as much of the barrelmetal as is necessary to make them longitudinally straight and smooth, and it not infrequently happens that so much metal is removed that parts of one or both barrels are left dangerously thin and weak. Further, if a customer demands an exceptionally light gun'hisl wishy is satisfied by removing more metal from the outside of the barrels, thereby' incurring further risk that the barrels will be dangerously weakened.

A further disadvantage arisesfrom rigidly securing the two barrels together by bra-Zing. It one barrel is fired a number of times without tiring the other barrel the resulting diiierenee in temperature will distort the barrel structure and render the gun inaccurate. The structure may even sustain a permanent distortiony at'ter considerable use, duc to the gradual relieving of internal stresses. Moreover, it is well known that at every shot a wave of elongation travels through the length of the barrel, on account ot the sudden application ot the large stress due to the pressure produced by combustion of the powder charge. This vibration is restrained by the brazing and strains in the barrel metal result; likewise the bra-zing may -be loosened thereby.

Diliculty is also encountered in performing effective brazing. In order to secure such brazing a capillary attraction must exist between the brazing metal and the material to which it is applied. Barrel steels, particularly ordnance7 steel do not react toward brazing metal in a manner conductive to effective brazing.

Another' detect is present when a closed bottom rib is used. A closed chamber is formed between the two barrels, and the inside ot this chamber cannot be browned to prevent rusting. It is practically inevitable that moisture will find its Way into this cham-ber, and rusting of the barrels result. Moreover, the moisture itself may create a dangerous pressure within the closed chamber between the barrels when suddenly heated andvaporized by rapid fire of the gun.

A further disadvantage is inherent in the method of forging longitudinal halves of the hinge and locking lugintegral with the barrels. A large distortion of the barrel forging is necessary to form the lug, the operation thus involves considerable risk that the fiber ot the steel will be broken at the lug, producing a vweakness at a point where great strength is required. Thisdifficulty is accentuated by the fact that the range of temperatureaat which barrel steels can be forged is very limited.

One object ot this invention is to produce a double gun barrel structure so made and assembled that it is tree from the defects hereinbefore mentioned. A t'urther object of the invention is to provide in a firearm a barrel structure all parts of which are secured together by mechanical means exclusively. l Y

A further object of the invention is to provide a .firearm barrel assembly, the parts of which are adapted to be permanently provide, ina gun barrel assembly including a plurality of barrels, novel means for securing'said barrels together which permits ofY their independent longitudinalmovement.

ing a breech piece and barrels, said bariels j being adapted to be secured to said breech z or brazing or any other processes including;

piece and to eachother without soldering the application yof heat.

A further object of the invention is to provide in a gun assembly comprising a plurality of barrels, longitudinally spaced me. j c'hanical devices adapted to engage said barrels and secure them against relative displacement.

A further object of the -invention is to provide aA firearm barrel assembly includlongitudinally spaced mechanical devices for securing a plurality of barrels relativeA` to each other, and an element whichv Vlocks said devices against displacement.

A further objcctof the invention is to pro- Vide in a gun assembly comprisingy a. plu- 'rality'fof barrels, novel devices holding said barrels in spaced relation and engaging the i .barrels at spaced intervals only.

chanical tools.

p A further object vof the invention is to pro-- vide a firearm barrel assembly which can be entirely dismantled for the purpose of`frepair or renewal of Tosecure these vand other'objec'ts our invention comprises thev novel combinations yand .arrangements of parts which are hereinafter fully described and vare in the drawings, Ain which: Y y 1 is a longitudinal elevation of a' fireillustrated arm barrel assembly embodying our invention'. i

fiream.

Fig. 3 is' a longitudinal sectionon the line 3 3. of Fig. 2. f

Fig. 4 vis a plan view of the barrel assembly, manyiparts being shown 'in section for greater clearness.

Fig. 5 'is a fragmentary sidelelevation,

" partly in section,of a gun embodyingrour invention. 55,*

Y Fig.

Fig.' '7` isA a y'section on the` line 7-4-7 ofv l Fig. 3.,

jacket 11 thruwhichfthe barrels extend, and

a'sighting rib 12, which rib as'we shall hereinafterl show alsoV functions as a key 'which secures all parts in the barrel assembly'in their correct 'relative positions. The

parts with ordinary Vme-` formation ofsaid lug.

' ig. 2 is an inverted plan fview of suchal Fig. -6 is a sectionon the'line .G4-.6 of

' T'presently described.

breech jacket 11 is bored, and threaded to receive thev barrels in the manner clearly illustrated in Fig. 4. .The threaded portion 13A of th'ebores in said breechpiece is located between forward and Vrearwardsmooth por tions thereof1 designated 14 and 15 respec-v -Y tively. The ybarrels thus have ample bear- A further object o f the invention is to4 provide a firearm barrel assembly coinpris-Y ing surface in the breech jacket 11.

Integral with the breechijacket 11 is the hinge and locking lug 16. .Said lug comprises a half journal 17 adapted to receive the hinge pin 18 about which the barrel Y structure pivots when 'the breech of the gun is opened. On closing the breech the face 161 of the lug cams rearwardly the locking piece 20, vmounted in the frame 201, and

when the breech is closed a locking shoulder 'y hardened and brownedk before .the assembly of the .barrels thereto.

This 'arrangement is of greatimportance since 1t permits a proper hardening of the '1ug'16, not only to withstand wear on the surfaces 17 land 161 thereof, but also a suiicient hardening throughout to withstand the shock of recoil and transmit saidshock'to the gun stock` an indefinite number of times -without'de A y Such -hardening can-not be secured if the breech piece is brazedtothe barrels, or elements integral with the :barrels and comprising the lockj ing lugare brazed together, since thev heat necessary for brazing destroys the effect of previous hardening, and'conversely, the heat. necessary for hardening'ruinsgany previous For securingthe barrelslO inpropcr 'relation and alignment a plurality ofzyokes 23 and 24 are provided. AEacho'f these yokes .wardly and upwardly curving fingers 26 and hold said'barrels securely in contact iioA VAcomprises a rigid portion l25jcxtending up- V ,wardlybetween the twofbarrels 10, and out-' with the rigidLpa-rt 25 of'safid yokes. `The c' 'muzzle yoke2f1jdiifers from the intermedi 'ate yokes 23 in a mannerV which will be y'The member 12 not only furnishes fafsifrhtg ing rib, but alsofunctions as a key to lock thebreech jacket, the forearm lug and the yokesagainstrrelative displacement@ To this end, in the embodiment of the invention heref in illustrated said breech jacket comprises a. vplurality of bosses, preferably of cylindrcal shape, adapted to be received in'cylin `dricalfr-ecesses' in the breech jacket 11, the

forearm lug 28 and the yokes 23 and 24 respectively. The sighting rib also comprises a flange 29 adjacent the forward edge of the breech jacket and similar iianges adjacent opposite sides of the forearm lug and the barrel retaining yokes. To secure the sighting rib in place the bosses 27 are drilled and tapped to receive screws 30. extending upwardly through the breech jacket, screws 3l extending upwardly through the forearm lug, screws 32 extending upward through the intermediate yokes, and screws 33 extending upward through the muzzle yoke. To give the structure greater stability the muzzle yoke screw 33 is of such diameter as to project laterally from the yoke and engage the barrels directly. Said screw is also provided with a barrel engaging shoul der 34; and the boss 27 at the muzzle end ofthe sighting rib is of such a diameter as to engage the barrels as clearly shown in Fig. 7. The barrels are properly notched and grooved to receive shoulder 2i, the shank of the screw 33 and the boss 27 and the yoke 24 is bored accordingly.

The bottom of the space between the barrels may be closed by ventilated plates 35 inserted between the yokes 27 and between the rearward yoke 27 and forearm lug 28, and engaging in shallow notches in said yokes and lug. Said plates are preferably made of spring metal and are thus readily removable.

It will be noted that each of the elements contained in this gun barrel assembly can be finished to size and browned prior to assembly. Much more thorough and satisfactory browning of parts can thus be secured. If exceptionally light barrels are desired they are made by turning the barrel tubes down prior to assembly, thus removing metal uniformly from the entire barrel, leaving a tube with a wall of uniform thickness and avoiding the dangerous local weakening resulting from methods now in vogue. In the finished structure the barrels are free for independent longitudinal movement and the space between the barrels is ventilated both above and below. The barrel tubes are turned straight and to size. and the hinge and locking lug is hardened before assembly. Assembly does not include any operation necessitating the application of heat, and may be effected as follows:

The breech jacket 11 is first held in a. suitable vise. and the barrels screwed into the jacket by engaging the barrels internally with a suitable tool inserted through the jacket. The forearm lug 29. and the yokes 23 and 24 are then in turn slid over the muzzle to their correct locations, the yokes being spread by a suitable device to permit of being so positioned. Plates 35 may be put i in place as each yoke is in turn brought to correct position. The sighting rib 12 is then fitted in place, the bosses 27 engaging in the recesses provided therefor in the breech jacket, the forearm lug and the yokes, and locating these members longitudinally. rl'he operation is then completed by inserting the rib securing screws 30, 31, 32 and 33.

|The invention is not to be considered as limited to the specific embodiment herein described and illustrated in the dra\\'ings, but is to be construed as extending to all equivalent devices falling within scope of the appended claims.

We claim:

l. A gun barrel assembly coniprising a breeched piece, a plurality of barrels having threaded connections with said breech piece, and means for retaining said barrels against relative displacement comprising a series of yokes having a rigid center part which extends between said barrels and spring fingers partially encircling said barrels.

2. In a gun barrel assembly, a plurality of barrels, means for securing Said barrels against relative displacement, comprising longitudinally spaced yokes each having a rigid center part extending between said barrels and spring fingers partially encir cling said barrels.

3. In a gun barrel assembly, means for preventing relative displacement of a plurality of barrels, comprising a plurality of yokes spaced longitudinally of said barrels, each of said yokes comprising a rigid part extending between said barrels and spring fingers partially encircling said barrels, a sighting rib, and interengaging means, whereby said sighting rib and said yokes mutually retain each other against displacement.

4. A gun barrel assembly comprising a plurality of barrels, means for retaining said barrels against relative displacement, comprising a plurality of longitudinally spaced yokes, each of said yokes comprising a rigid part extending between said barrels and spring fingers partially encircling said barrels, a sighting rib, interengaging means whereby said sighting rib and said yokes mutually reta-in each other against relative longitudinal displacement. and means for retaining said sighting rib and said yokes against relative vertical displacement.

5. In a gun barrel assembly, means for securing a pair of barrels against relative displacement comprising a yoke, said yoke comprising a rigid part extending between said barrels, and spring flanges extending outwardly beneath said barrels, whereby said barrels are pressed into close contact with rigid part of said yoke.

6. In a gun barrel assembly, means for preventing relative displacement of av plurality of barrels comprising a plurality of yokes spaced longitudinally of said barrels, one of said yokes comprising openings in its llO barrel engaging surfaces7 a sighting element, means associated, with said sighting element adapted to secure said yokes against longitudinal displacement, saidmeans including a member projecting thru certain ot .said openings, and recesses in said barrel adapted to receive said projecting means.

7. In a shotgun barrel assembly, means for securing a plurality er' barrels against relative displacement comprising a yoke, eX- tending between said barrels, openingsA in the barrel-engaging sui-'faces of said. yoke, elements extending thru said openings, and means .on said barrels engaged by said elements. f Y ,8. In a. shotgun barrel assembly7 means for securing a plurality of barrelsv against relative displacement comprising a plurality of yokes spaced longitudinally of saidrbar-y rels7 each of said yokes comprising barrel engaging surfaces, and certainvot said yokes comprising openings in said barrel engaging surfaces, and barrel engaging elements extending thru said openings.

9. A gun barrel assembly comprising a plurality of barrels, means for retaining said barrelsl against relative ldisplacement comprising a plurality et yokes having barrel engaging surfaces', certain'of said yoles having openings thru said barrel engaging surfaces,` means for retaining said yolies against longitudinal displacement, said means comprising barrel engaging elements extending thru the openings in said yokes.

l0. In a gun barrel assembly comprisinga plurality Aof barrels and a sighting rib,

means 'for securing said barrelsand sight-z ingrib relative to each other comprising a plurality et longitudinally spaced. members provided with recesses, said sighting rib being provided with bosses adapted to enter the lrecesses in said members and with lugs' adapted tov engage said members exteriorly. l1. In a gun barrel assembly comprising a plurality of barrels7 a breech piece and a plurality of spacedl members securing said barrels against relative displacement; ay 

